Timeless Ballard Bathroom Remodel
Project Overview
A water leak in a Ballard, Seattle home prompted a full bathroom reset — one that turned a patched problem into a polished, personal space. Designer Isaac Musket worked with the homeowners to bring in color and warmth while keeping the result refined and enduring.
The Team
Key Facts
- Scope Level
- Replace
- Service
- Bathroom Remodeling
- Size
- 50 sq ft
- Location
- Ballard, Seattle, WA
The Challenge
The project started with a leak that had been patched but never truly resolved. The homeowners saw the repair as an opening to do the work right. They wanted a bathroom that actually reflected how they wanted to live in it — brighter, more personal, with some color, but still polished and timeless.
They brought in Neil Kelly design consultant Isaac Musket with a specific wish list: a smaller bathtub, but with the existing layout kept intact. Swapping in a smaller tub without addressing the surrounding space would have left the room feeling off: dead space on either side, proportions that didn’t hold together, and a tub that looked like an afterthought rather than a feature.
The design challenge, then, wasn’t just plumbing. It was making a smaller tub feel right-sized in a space built around a larger one — and doing it without blowing up a layout the homeowners otherwise liked.
The Solution
To solve the scale problem, Isaac designed a custom frame around the smaller bathtub. Rather than leaving the tub floating in the original footprint, the frame gives it a built-in presence — anchored, intentional, and proportioned to the room. It reads as a design decision, not a workaround.
The frame also created storage opportunity. Isaac incorporated extra-deep shampoo niches into the structure, which add utility without adding visual clutter. Extending the shower tile across the face of the tub frame ties the wet zone together into a single cohesive plane — no awkward transitions, no moment where the room stops making sense.
Warm cherry wood cabinetry brings richness and contrast to a space. Wall sconces replace harsher overhead light with something more flattering and layered. And by swapping out the original hinged door for a pocket door, Isaac opened up access to a tall cabinet that the swing door had been blocking.
- Solved a recurring water leak
- Downsized bathtub to homeowner preference while retaining the original layout
- Designed and built a custom frame around the smaller tub to maintain proportion within the existing footprint
- Integrated extra-deep shampoo niches into the tub frame for storage and visual structure
- Extended colorful yet refined shower tile across the face of the tub frame for a continuous, finished look
- Installed warm cherry wood cabinetry for contrast and richness
- Added wall sconces for softer, layered lighting
- Replaced hinged door with a pocket door to improve access to tall cabinetry
From the first interaction we felt like we were getting honest and expert information. That continued all the way throughout our project. [Our] expectations were met in all areas. We love our new bathroom!
Materials & Features
Every material was selected for longevity, beauty, and fit with the home — here is what was used and why.
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01
Cherry Wood Cabinetry
Crystal Cabinets — Warm-toned cabinetry, slim shaker door style
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02
Cabinet Pulls
Amerock — Satin nickel for timeless appeal
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03
Countertop, Backsplash, Shower Niches, and Window Sill
MSI — Calacatta Trevi Quartz, Polished
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04
Flooring and Shower Tile
Bedrosians — 12×24 floor tile in Nova White, 2.5×10 shower tile in Aloe Green
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05
Plumbing Fixtures
Ferguson / Signature Hardware / Kohler — Satin nickel for varied finish yet continued timelessness
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06
Recessed Medicine Cabinet
Kohler — In coordinating brushed nickel
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07
Lighting / Wall Sconces
Hudson Valley — Soft, layered wall lighting in polished nickel
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08
Paint
Sherwin-Williams — Wall color is "Snowbound." Also "Contented" is used for the shower ceiling.
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